Solar panel firm suspended as Londoners are warned about their deposits

The main installer behind mayor Sadiq Khan’s multi-million pound Solar Together scheme has been forced to suspend operations following an Evening Standard investigation.

Green Energy Together was also stripped of its trade body accreditation after we revealed hundreds of London homeowners suffered unacceptable delays and struggled to get back large deposits.

Mr Khan outsourced management of the project in several local authorities to group-buying experts iChoosr, as part of an energy policy aimed at making London zero carbon.

Following action by the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting, Hertfordshire-based GET-UK was ordered to stop all work fitting solar panels during the suspension.

City Hall said customers - some owed thousands - will be contacted by iChoosr who Mr Khan will “hold to account” for appointing GET-UK in the first place.

Last month, the Standard reported serious questions over why the “pre-vetted” company run by Nicolas Elbourne, 36, was contracted despite negative reviews, debt and even a warning by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Elbourne, 36, and father David Elbourne, 58, were directors of green energy supplier Solarplicity which collapsed in 2019 with loses of £4.4million.

Siân Berry, a Green member of the London Assembly, was contacted by scores of residents complaining about awful customer service.

A spokesman for Mr Khan warned Londoners of further delays during the suspension, adding: “In most cases deposits paid to GET-UK are protected by the Home Insulation and Energy Systems Quality Assured Contractors Scheme.

“Where this is not the case, the Mayor holds iChoosr responsible for protecting customers’ interests, given that it appointed GET-UK as installer, and will be exploring every option to hold them to account on this.”

GET-UK said: “Covid had a devastating impact on our supply chains and our cashflow as a business.

“The knock-on effect of this meant that our customer service simply wasn’t as good as it should have been and we apologise to everyone affected.

“But we have worked hard, along with our third-party partners, for several months to make things better and resolve any outstanding issues customers have.”